Authorities of the United Arab Emirates have approved an annual fee for operators of commercial unmanned aerial vehicles.
UAE unmanned aerial vehicle operators using drones for commercial purposes will have to pay a fee of AED 50 thousand ($ 13.62 thousand) annually, in accordance with a decision by the Civil Aviation Administration (GCAA).
For the management of drones for non-commercial purposes, $ 1107 will be charged annually with the condition that the operator will have to pay $ 273 every 90 days. A fee was also set for organizations engaged in training in handling unmanned aerial vehicles - $ 13.62 thousand for 5 years.
In a statement to the Arabian Business, the GCAA clarified that the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in the UAE is governed by three different rules that classify drones as recreational; experimental (for research purposes) and corporate (for commercial / non-commercial use).
“Commercial use entails a higher risk for the safety of people on earth, for other users of airspace and strategically important infrastructure, therefore, additional assessments and mitigation measures, such as certification, safety, airspace assessment, management assessment and staff qualifications, ”the statement said.
However, approval by the Office will allow the operator to operate the unmanned device anywhere in the country at any time without any additional fees or requirements, provided that the operator complies with GCAA standards.
The GCAA did not comment on whether any fees would be imposed on individuals using recreational unmanned aerial vehicles. However, now any person who intends to work with drones needs to submit an application online, providing their personal data and information about the drone. This online application is currently free.
According to the GCAA website, all unmanned aerial vehicles weighing up to five kg are allowed to move within the green flying zone; video shooting or capturing images using in-flight devices is not allowed; drones can fly only in the daytime and in good weather conditions; no aircraft can appear within a radius of five kilometers from the outer fences of airports, heliports, helipads and airfields or in controlled areas of the UAE.
The GCAA also requires sellers to notify an authorized body in case of resale of the drone.
